The Proposal
by Rhianona
Summary: Harry decides its time to propose to Ginny.


**Author's Note:** Written for Pi on occasion of her birthday. She asked for Harry proposing to Ginny.

_Disclaimer:_ Harry Potter and its characters do not belong to me.

After he decided that yes, he really did want to spend the rest of his life with Ginny, he fell into a panic. While he knew he still didn't understand girls all that well, he did know that they put a lot of store by "The Proposal." Asking Hermione or Mrs. Weasley was straight out. Ron still hadn't proposed to Hermione, and he had no desire to anger his best mate - especially since he wanted to marry said best mate's sister. And asking the mother of the girl was just… wrong. He couldn't imagine asking Luna, or Professor McGonagall, or Mrs. Longbottom, either. And asking Fleur meant opening up his intentions to the rest of the Weasleys, something he was hoping to forestall. Aunt Petunia was more liable to ring the police than answer any questions he had about asking someone to marry him.

In the end, he turned to Andromeda. They shared custody over Teddy and he had grown close to her in the two years since the Final Battle. His godson had helped, of course, serving as a living testament to Tonks and Remus' love and reminding the survivors that life did go on. And while he didn't see Andromeda as a surrogate mother, he did feel he could go to her for advice. After all, she was Tonks' mother and raising that particular metamorph had to have included a certain degree of patience and good humor. Plus, she grew up in the wizarding world, for all that she rejected it for her muggle-born husband. She could advise him on the proper way of doing things.

At least he hoped she could. He took a deep breath, girded his loins and prepared to ask for help.

***

"You want my what?" Andromeda laughed. She nearly spilled her tea, before managing to place the cup on the table.

Harry grimaced, flushing red with embarrassment. "I know nothing about girls," he finally said.

Andromeda chuckled. "Do you have a ring?"

"I found Mum's in the vault. Do you think…?" Harry trailed off.

"I think Lily would be very pleased that you want to use her ring," she assured him with a smile. "Both Lily and James would have liked Ginny."

"Really?" Harry asked, sounding younger than he was. Andromeda looked at him a bit sadly. Poor Harry. He had lost so much. She wished she had pushed to take custody of him after that night. Maybe if he had had a loving upbringing he would not seem so astonished that his parents loved him and would approve of him. Damn Voldemort.

"Yes, Harry. They would have." If only she could give him more than words.

He smiled back at her shyly. They fell into a comfortable silence before he broke it again. "I really don't know what I'm doing, Andromeda. I love her. I really do. And I know she loves me… she waited for me, during that last year. Everything since then has been… more than I ever imagined." He almost glowed with the love he felt for Ginny. It made Andromeda smile wistfully, remembering how it had been with Ted, after they had fled the wizarding world to avoid her family.

"I'm so happy for you, Harry," she told him. "Well, you have the ring. When do you want to ask her?"

"I… I figured next week."

"Mmm… how public do you want it to be?" Harry winced. The boy did hate publicity. "Yes, I figured you wouldn't want that. What does she like to do?"

"Fly… play pranks. Hanging out with our friends."

Andromeda slowly nods, an idea half-forming in her mind. "I think I have a suggestion." He leaned forward, eager to hear what she had to offer.

***

Arthur looked up at the hesitant rap on his door. "Hello, Harry. What brings you here? Any problems?"

Harry looked quite nervous; he scuffed his shoe against the floor, wiped a hand on his trousers, before looking up at him. "Um… no, problems. I just… I just had a question. Something I needed to well… ask you," he stated awkwardly.

"Well, don't just stand there. Come in, come in. Take a seat," Arthur urged while trying to figure out what exactly had Harry so nervous and worried.

"Thanks," Harry said before taking a seat gingerly. He waved his hand at the offer of tea or refreshment and seemed to be gathering courage for whatever he wanted to say. "So, um… you know that Ginny and I are…" he trailed off. For one horrified moment, Arthur worried that Harry was here to tell him that his daughter and the man he considered like another son had ended their relationship. But then Harry continued. "I love Ginny, Mr. Weasley, I really, really do," he confessed, as if it were some type of secret. "And I want to ask her to marry me."

Well, that wasn't quite what Arthur had expected, but he smiled hugely. "That's great!"

"Really?" Harry asked, as if surprised. Or maybe relieved. "So, I have your permission? To ask her?"

Arthur felt flattered that Harry would even consider asking him for permission before asking Ginny herself. "Of course you do, Harry," he said gently. "You know that Molly and I already consider you like another son to us. We've been thrilled that you and Ginny have been dating. Marriage will make Molly so incredibly happy." Indeed, his wife would likely begin the planning the moment Ginny told her.

Harry grinned back at Arthur, a little foolishly, but so ecstatic. "It means a lot to me." He pulled a jeweler's box from his robes and opened it to show Arthur a very pretty and elegant ring. "It was my mum's," he explained. Arthur smiled softly.

"Ginny will love it," he assured his future son-in-law. "When do you plan to ask her?"

"This weekend," Harry replied. "We're going on a picnic. I thought, well…" he blushed. "I thought it might be a bit romantic to ask her then."

"I'm sure she'll love it," Arthur said. "Well then, Harry. I'll make sure that Molly and the boys don't bother you until then." Last thing Harry needed was a group of overexcited Weasleys attempting to ruin his plans, all under the belief that they were actually "improving" them.

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley," Harry said, before standing. "Well, I better get back to work."

"Good bye, Harry." All Arthur had to do now was to make sure that Molly didn't sniff out his secret before this weekend. That might be harder than it seemed, but Arthur hoped he could succeed.

***

On Saturday morning, Harry rushed around, trying to make sure he had everything perfect for later that day. He didn't want anything to spoil his proposal to Ginny. Fortunately, Andromeda stopped by with Teddy. She took one look at him and shooed him away to watch Teddy, while she made sure that he had everything he would need.

"Are you sure everything is in there?" Harry asked, biting his lip in concern.

"Yes!" Andromeda exclaimed. "Go, before you're late!" she warned. Holding onto the picnic basket, Harry grimaced before apparating away. He took a deep breath before rapping on the door to Ginny's flat. He could do this.

Ginny opened the door, looking beautiful as always. "Harry!" she greeted, kissing him softly.

"Ready?" he asked, offering her an arm.

"Yep! Let me just lock up. I'm looking forward to spending time with just you," she confessed.

Harry smiled nervously, surreptitiously wiping dry his suddenly sweaty hands. "Great!" he said. "So, our place?" he suggested. She nodded and apparated ahead of him. He joined her a few moments later.

"Their place" was really a glade in the middle of a forest near one of the homes he owned. It was peaceful and a bit isolated, and had served as the place the two of them often retreated to in order to have some privacy. Ginny helped him set up the picnic lunch, seemingly not noticing Harry's nerves. Or maybe she did, but had the courtesy to not mention it to him. She seemed to enjoy their lunch though, and that was a relief.

After they finished eating, Harry cleared his throat. "Want to go flying?" he asked.

"I didn't bring my broom," Ginny pouted. Harry smiled.

"That's okay. You can fly with me on mine," he suggested. He pulled his shrunken broom from his pocket and unshrunk it. "Come on, hop on in front of me."

This was a favored activity of theirs. Flying together on one broom allowed them to not only enjoy one of their favorite activities, but also to do so while remaining physically close to one another - to cuddle.

Ginny adjusted herself in Harry's arms as they rose gently into the air. She sat sidesaddle, leaning into his body and letting him protect her from falling. The sticking charm applied to her helped alleviate that fear as well. He guided the broom with his thighs, taking them on a lazy and swooping spiral through the sky. He loved feeling Ginny in his arms, loved how happy she made him feel.

"Ginny," he began. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Of course! And I love you," she said, turning her head to face him. He could hear a bit of puzzlement in her tone. He better ask her quickly, before she got the wrong idea.

"Ginny, will you marry me?" he asked, presenting the ring to her, glad that he could fly one handed and with his thighs. Plummeting to the ground would rather spoil the moment.

"Harry…?" she breathed. "Oh Merlin! Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!" she squealed. She turned her torso fully and kissed him. Harry smiled through the kiss, his happiness more than he could describe. He tried to put that into his kiss, tried to show Ginny how much he felt for her. She responded with equal fervor, banishing any lingering doubts he had about being ready to marry. At that moment, he knew they were meant to spend their lives together. And as they floated through the sky, the sun shining above them, he gave himself into the moment. Later, he would worry about breaking the news to Ron and Hermione, and the reactions of the rest of the Weasley family. But for right now? He had everything he needed.

_/fin_


End file.
